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About Meiji

At a Glance

At a Glance

Get to know Meiji at a glance – from our core business to our most important numbers.

Food

Our Nutrition Initiatives

Our Nutrition Initiatives

Our goal is to improve the lives of people of all ages around the world through nutrition, from infants to older adults, and we are dedicated to achieving this goal.

Pharmaceuticals

R&D

Medical needs are always diversifying – here's how Meiji is responding.

Sustainable Finance

Meiji Holdings issued sustainability bonds* (10th series of unsecured corporate bonds) through a public offering on Japanese markets in April 2021.

As food and health professionals, we strive to create new value and contribute through our business activities and environmental initiatives to the realization of a future society where all people can lead happy, healthy lives.

In the Meiji Group 2026 Vision, we position contributions to solving societal problems as one of our core policies. We drafted the Meiji Group Sustainability 2026 Vision to outline specific policies towards achieving this goal, and we are continuing to work towards its realization.

Meiji Group Sustainability 2026 Vision

Additionally, we outlined Meiji Green Engagement for 2050, our long-term environmental vision, in March 2021. We will collaborate with various stakeholders in four activity domains: Climate Change, Water Resources, Circular Economy, and Pollution Prevention, and our employees will proactively engage in activities that contribute to realizing a sustainable global environment.

We are actively making use of sustainable finance, based on the sustainability finance framework we set out in January 2021, to secure the capital necessary for realizing these visions of maximizing our contributions to solving societal problems.

* Sustainability bonds are bonds where the proceeds are used for (1) social projects (projects that contribute to solving societal problems), and (2) green projects (projects that have a positive effect on the environment).

Meiji Green Engagement for 2050

Sustainability Bonds Outline

Name Meiji Holdings Co., Ltd.'s 10th series of unsecured corporate bonds
(Limited inter-bond pari passu rider)
(Sustainability Bonds)
Maturity: 5 years
Issue amount: JPY 10.0 billion
Coupon rate: 0.050%
Issue date: Friday, April 23, 2021
Use of proceeds:
  1. Sustainable cocoa bean procurement
  2. Supporting cocoa farmers (Meiji Cocoa Support)
  3. Energy saving and energy creation at domestic and overseas plants
  4. Securing and conserving domestic and overseas water resources
  5. Switching to environmentally friendly packaging (plastic - paper)
  6. Capital investments and R&D for initiatives related to infant nutrition (General milk formulas and specialized formulas)
  7. R&D and capital investments in infectious disease prevention
Bond rating AA- (Japan Credit Rating Agency, Ltd.)
Lead managers Mizuho Securities Co., Ltd., Daiwa Securities Co., Ltd.
Structuring agent* Mizuho Securities Co., Ltd.

* An agent that supports the execution of sustainability finance by giving advice on both the formulation of sustainable finance frameworks, as well as on obtaining Second-Party Opinions.

Third-Party Assessment of Framework and Eligibility

For the purposes of issuing sustainability bonds, Meiji Holdings established a sustainable finance framework.* Upon its establishment, it received the highest possible rank (SU1(F)) from the third-party organization, Japan Credit Rating Agency.

* Sustainable Finance Framework

Reporting

We annually disclose the fund allocation status reporting and the impact reporting until all raised funds allocated to applicable projects.

Allocation Status Reporting(FY2021)

Theme Applicable project Allocations
(JPY 100 million)
Sustainable Procurement Sustainable cocoa bean procurement 14.7
Caring for the Earth Energy efficiency and energy creation at domestic and overseas plants* 3.6
Securing and conserving domestic and overseas water resources 7.5
Switching to environmentally friendly packaging (plastic – paper) 4.3
Healthier Lives Capital investments and R&D for initiatives related to infant nutrition (General infant formulas and special formulas) 22.9
R&D and capital investments in infectious disease prevention 4.3
Total 57.3

* Fluorocarbons reduction costs include switching to natural refrigerants and fluorocarbons alternatives.

Allocation Status Reporting(FY2022)

Theme Applicable project Allocations
(JPY 100 million)
Sustainable Procurement Sustainable cocoa bean procurement 14.2
Caring for the Earth Energy efficiency and energy creation at domestic and overseas plants* 9.8
Securing and conserving domestic and overseas water resources 0.7
Switching to environmentally friendly packaging (plastic – paper) 4.6
Healthier Lives Capital investments and R&D for initiatives related to infant nutrition (General infant formulas and special formulas) 27.2
R&D and capital investments in infectious disease prevention 0.3
Total 56.8

* Fluorocarbons reduction costs include switching to natural refrigerants and fluorocarbons alternatives.

Impact Reporting(FY2021)

Applicable project Impact Reporting
Output
(Project Progress and Results)
Outcome
(Effects Related to Issue Resolutions)
Impact
(Effects Arising From Outcome)
Sustainable cocoa bean procurement
  • Procurement of cocoa beans with sustainable programs
  • Procurement of sustainable cocoa beans as a percentage of total cocoa beans procured: 42%
  • Improvement in producer livelihoods
  • Ensure food quality and safety for consumers
Energy efficiency and energy creation at domestic and overseas plants
  • Reduce CO2 emissions by at least 50% compared with FY2019 by FY2030
  • Expand use of electricity derived from renewable energy sources to at least 50% by FY2030
  • Eliminate use of specified fluorocarbons at domestic production sites by FY2030.
  • Reduce CO2 emissions through energy conservation measures at new and existing plants : 1,329t-CO2
  • Reduce CO2 emissions through solar power generation: 1,669t-CO2
  • Number of facilities switched to natural refrigerants or fluorocarbons alternatives: 446 units
  • Reduce CO2 emissions
  • Protect the ozone layer
Securing and conserving domestic and overseas water resources
  • Upgrade equipment at existing plants and offices
  • Introduce water-saving equipment at new plants, etc.
  • Reduce water consumption by at least 20% compared with FY2017 by FY2030
  • Reduction rate of water consumption (basic unit): 8.4% (compared with FY2017)
  • Reduce environmental impact through efficient use of water and appropriate wastewater management, etc.
Switching to environmentally friendly packaging (plastic – paper)
  • Reduce plastic used for one-way plastic containers and packaging by at least 25% compared with FY2017 by FY2030
  • Plastic reduction: 13% (forecast)
  • Solve the issues of marine pollution caused by plastic waste
Capital investments and R&D for initiatives related to infant nutrition (General infant formulas and special formulas)
  • Develop and produce cube-type infant formula
  • Investment in production facilities for cube-type infant formula
    : High-speed line production facility construction: JPY 1.3 billion
    : Building and utilities construction: JPY 0.99 billion
  • Achieve healthy growth of infants and toddlers
  • Reduce childcare burden on caregivers
R&D and capital investments in infectious disease prevention
  • Product development
  • Status of projects in development: Phase I trials underway (overseas)
  • Decrease the number of patients suffering from infectious diseases
  • Support domestic medical systems
  • Prevent severe disease through the impact of vaccines

Impact Reporting(FY2022)

Applicable project Impact Reporting
Output
(Project Progress and Results)
Outcome
(Effects Related to Issue Resolutions)
Impact
(Effects Arising From Outcome)
  FY2021 FY2022
Sustainable cocoa bean procurement Procurement of cocoa beans with sustainable programs Procurement of sustainable cocoa beans as a percentage of total cocoa beans procured 42% 62% Improvement in producer livelihoo
Ensure food quality and safety for consumers
Energy efficiency and energy creation at domestic and overseas plants Reduce CO2 emissions by at least 50% compared with FY2019 by FY2030 Reduce CO2 emissions through energy conservation measures at new and existing plants 1,329t-CO2 3,709t-CO2
(Total of FY2021 and FY2022 results)
Reduce CO2 emissions
Expand use of electricity derived from renewable energy sources to at least 50% by FY2030 Reduce CO2 emissions through solar power generation 1,669t-CO2 2,358t-CO2
(Total of FY2021 and FY2022 results)
Eliminate use of specified fluorocarbons at domestic production sites by FY2030. Number of facilities switched to natural refrigerants or fluorocarbons alternatives 446 units 565 units
(Total of FY2021 and FY2022 results)
Protect the ozone layer
Securing and conserving domestic and overseas water resources Upgrade equipment at existing plants and office Reduction rate of water consumption (basic unit)
*Reduce water consumption compared with FY2020(From FY2022)

(Unit of sales after applying the Accounting Standard for Revenue Recognition and other standards)
8.4%
(compared with FY2017)
13.3%
(Total of FY2021 and FY2022 results)
Reduce environmental impact through efficient use of water and appropriate wastewater management, etc.
Introduce water-saving equipment at new plants, etc.
Reduce water consumption by at least 15% compared with FY2020 by FY2030 in global
*The base year and KPI were changed because sales after applying the Accounting Standard for Revenue Recognition and other standards were used in the per unit calculation.
Switching to environmentally friendly packaging (plastic – paper) Reduce plastic used for one-way plastic containers and packaging by at least 25% compared with FY2017 by FY2030 Plastic reduction 13%
(FY2020 results)
16%
(FY2021 results)
Solve the issues of marine pollution caused by plastic waste
Capital investments and R&D for initiatives related to infant nutrition (General infant formulas and special formulas) Develop and produce cube-type infant formula Investment in production facilities for cube-type infant formula     Achieve healthy growth of infants and toddlers
High-speed line production facility construction JPY 1.3 billion JPY 2.36 billion Reduce childcare burden on caregivers
utilities construction JPY 0.99 billion JPY 0.36 billion  
R&D and capital investments in infectious disease prevention Product development Status of projects in development PhaseⅠtrials underway (overseas) PhaseⅡclinical trial in preparation Decrease the number of patients suffering from infectious diseases
Support domestic medical systems
Prevent severe disease through the impact of vaccines

We obtained a review from the Japan Credit Rating Agency to assess the conformity of this reporting with our sustainability finance framework.

Review by the Japan Credit Rating Agency (Issuance date: July 15, 2022) Review by the Japan Credit Rating Agency (Issuance date: July 14, 2023)